Red ribbons brighten River ValleyThe color red has been seen in schools across the Arkansas River Valley. The red ribbons students are sporting this week carry a message that can make the next generations of leaders the best generation of all. This week is Red Ribbon Week. It is: n A time for gratitude for all the lives that remain drug-free. n A time to pledge to live a safe and drug-free life. n A time to remember those we have lost in the fight against drugs. While we thin...

Halloween's roots go way backBoo! It's that time of year again. Monday, the streets will be haunted by ghosts and goblins of all shapes and sizes. However, the Halloween we know began in a different place and a totally different time. Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts new year began Nov. 1. They considered this to be the end of the summer and beginning of winter. During this period of history, many people perished in the co...

One more look forward, and a look back"Today A Vision, Tomorrow A Reality" concludes today with The Courier's final Progress special section of 2005. In those 40 pages, readers will find everything from retail to culture, religion to leadership, tourism to development, as well as communication. Russellville wouldn't be the same without its annual Downtown Fall Festival, which begins today's final Progress section. Pictures, a full schedule and details on this year's Downtown Fall ...

From one extreme to anotherOn the front page of Friday's Courier - as well as in this space - we congratulated Dardanelle native John Daly, and noted the longtime contributive efforts of Russellville's Corliss Williamson, about the professional sports world not affecting their community responsibilities. Then we read from Arkadelphia that four Henderson State University football players and a fifth student have been charged in the rape of a 13-year-old girl in the men's...

Daly does it againOne of our professional athletes has done it again. "Grip it and rip it" brings only one man to mind, whether it's on or off the golf course. Dardanelle native John Daly has never kept fans, fame and fortune on the Progressional Golf Association tour from doing all he can for The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Arkansas River Valley or Dardanelle High School. Now, he's gripping it and ripping it a different way. We agree with Bay Ridge Boat & Golf...

Economic activity good despite recent hurricanesMany parts of the country managed to log decent economic activity in September and early October, even amid the soaring energy prices and other repercussions from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Federal Reserve's survey released Wednesday provided the latest snapshot of business conditions nationwide in the aftermath of Katrina, the most costly natural disaster in U.S. history, and Rita. It's good to know there is a great deal of economic act...

Senators give up pay raisesSenators on Tuesday agreed to give up their annual pay raise, saying they need to do their part to save the government a little money in light of the huge expenses from Hurricane Katrina and the growing budget deficit. We commend this sacrifice and urge the House to follow the Senate's lead by giving up their pay raises. Under Sen. Jon Kyl's amendment to a spending bill covering federal workers, senators would forgo the estimated 1.9 percent c...

Casinos look to rebuild, reshape Gulf CoastFloating casinos that were devastated by Hurricane Katrina can be rebuilt on solid ground under legislation signed Monday by Gov. Haley Barbour that could lead to major changes in the tourism industry along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This could be a new economic beginning for the Gulf States, which were victimized by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Gambling has always been a controversial topic and we all will continue to have our own opinions o...

Progress, take threeFinancial institutions, real estate, utilities, education and other services are highlighted in today's 24-page edition of Progress 2005: "Today A Vision, Tomorrow a Reality." As the Arkansas River Valley grows, so do financial institutions to meet the needs of their customers. Whether they are growing in the form of new branches on Parkway, or improving their technology or services to better serve you, today's section proves that banks and ot...

Chinese back in spaceForty-eight years ago this month, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) launched a little satellite called Sputnik above the Earth. My, how things have changed since those little beeps were heard orbiting around our globe. Wednesday, people at a bustling railway station in Beijing, China, became quiet as they watched a giant video screen showing the countdown for China's second manned space launch. A cheer went up as the rocket carryin...

Pros, cons of candidates being elected by people in their wardRussellville Alderman Phil Carruth called for discussion at the Oct. 20 city council meeting that would entertain the idea of having all council members elected solely by the residents of their ward. As of now, elections to determine who will be the alderman to represent a particular ward are city-wide. Carruth is looking for that to change. His proposal presents a good opportunity to examine the many pros and cons of both sides. An obvious po...

Many children still missing after KatrinaIn a typical month, the Center for Missing and Exploited Children would get a few hundred phone calls from loved ones in search for a child. In this past month, since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, it has received thousands of calls. It seems every time we think we are aware of all the damage Katrina did, something else comes up. We have weathered the storm when it comes to Katrina. However, damage assessment could go on for possibly ye...

More Progress, and county fair photographsIf you haven't already noticed, today's Courier is jam-packed with news and photographs covering the progress of your Arkansas River Valley, as well as a plethora of pictures from the animal auctions at last month's Pope County Fair. Today's portion of "Today A Vision, Tomorrow A Reality" will take you on a 12-month journey through health care, education, employment and your community. It has taken an additional 28 pages this weekend to bring ...

Mr. Bass of Arkansas is in townWe'd like to take this opportunity to congratule Bill Fletcher of Hot Springs, the 2005 Mr. Bass of Arkansas professional angler of the year, who was crowned Thursday prior to the start of this weekend's Mr. Bass of Arkansas Classic Tournament on Lake Dardanelle. More than 200 weekend anglers competed in seven Mr. Bass of Arkansas pro-am qualifying tournaments held throughout the state from February through September. Fletcher was the angler w...

Bankruptcy filings likely to increase in Gulf CoastMany people have found jobs, homes and landed on their feet since the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina more than one month ago. However, the hurricane will also likely be the cause of a surge in bankruptcy filings along the Gulf Coast. Tougher limits on bankruptcy are supposed to take effect Oct. 17 • less than two weeks from now, but some lawmakers and bankruptcy attorneys are pushing Congress to delay the new law for Katrina victims. The Justice...

Take time to help yourselfWhether for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes or depression, health screenings provide a quick and easy way to spot the first signs of serious illness and can reach people who might not otherwise seek professional medical advice. Clinical depression - also known as mental illness, which includes depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, etc. - is a common medical illness that affects more than 19 million Americans each year, men, women...

How does one receive FEMA housing assitance?The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has instituted a good program, which enables evacuees from Hurricane Katrina to receive housing assistance. The program provides vouchers for a year for items such as rent and furniture. It sounds like a great way to help the displaced families, but one very important question still remains. How can one get in contact with the proper individuals who are able to help out? Here at The Courier, one o...

TAKAHIK Club gets community in spirit of fall seasonThe fall season is here. Leaves are coming off trees, nature is changing color and the weather is a little cooler, which makes this a beautiful time of year. While there are the fall traditions many people partake in such as Halloween, pumpkins, etc., everyone also has his or her own way of celebrating the transition from summer to fall. Here in the Arkansas River Valley, the TAKAHIK Club gives everyone the opportunity to explore nature and ge...

Steroid crackdown puts all on noticeCongress is prepared to intervene in Major League Baseball's steroid testing policy. Is this a good thing? Each of us has our own opinion on the matter, but something we can all agree on is the world of sports and society could change forever depending on the action Congress takes. Sen. John McCain of Arizona took a stand last Wednesday and let players union chief Donald Fehr know that he needs to act soon and get a policy in place. If Commiss...

2005 an eventful year ... and still goingOctober is here! That means we are in the first full month of autumn for 2005, Halloween is 30 days away and three-fourths of the year is gone. Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating New Year's Day. However, this year has been eventful to say the very least. We have continued the war in Iraq, which caused a mother of a deceased soldier to protest by President Bush's ranch, "bombings in London", steroid discove...